I'm with the Band: LSU

Band: Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band
University: Louisiana State University
Founded: 1893
Current Director: Roy King
Fight Song: "Fight for LSU"

This year's BCS championship was also a showcase for two of the best bands in the Southeast Conference.




All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 0/2
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 21/35 (5th place out of 12 players)

The two people I know best in the group finished at the top. Mock won the group - in fact, he'd clinched the top spot with one game left to play. An old high school friend of mine, whom we shall call The Bomber, came in second. All of the people ahead of me picked more games correctly than I did. But, so did five who finished behind me. As such, thoughtfulness in confidence point allocation is clearly worthwhile. Once again, following the regular season more closely definitely helped.

I'm with the Band: Nebraska

Band: University of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band
University: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Founded: 1879
Current Director: Anthony Falcone
Fight Songs: "Hail Varsity" and "Dear Old Nebraska U"

My Huskers lost this past week but at least the band got a trip to Orlando out of the deal. The band once played at the Kennedy Center for the Kennedy Center Honors.




All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 5/10
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 21/32 (5th place out of 12 players in total points, 6th place in maximum points)

With two games left to go, it is mathematically possible for me to finish anywhere between 1st and 8th in the group. Finishing 8th would still be an improvement on last year's 9th out of 10 so I'll take it. So, following the regular season more closely definitely helps. But will it be enough to get me a top 3 finish?

I'm with the Band: Northwestern

Band: Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band
University: Northwestern University
Founded: 1911
Current Director: Daniel J. Farris
Fight Songs: "Go U Northwestern" and "Rise, Northwestern!"



The routine above is a nice one. I especially like the waving flag effect. "Go U Northwestern" was written by Theodore Van Etten in 1912. I can't find writing credits for "Rise, Northwestern!"


All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 11/16
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 16/23 (2nd place out of 12 players in total points, tied for 9th in maximum points)

I'm with the Band: Southern Miss

Band: The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band
University: The University of Southern Mississippi
Founded: 1920
Director: Dr. Mohamad Schumann



In the Bowl Game As Free Vacation Sweepstakes, the Hawaii Bowl is the big prize. Bowl games have been played in Hawaii since 1936, 23 years before statehood.


All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 3/4
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 5/7 (2nd place out of 12 players in total points; 9th out of 12 in maximum points)

I'm with the Band: Temple

Band: Diamond Marching Band
University: Temple University
Founded: 1925
Current Director: Matthew Brunner

A bowl game is the reward for a well-played season for a college football team. It's frequently a highlight for the marching band, too - essentially a free vacation to a sunny clime. There's still work to be done, of course, in preparing for the halftime show but there's down time to enjoy as well.



Of the six teams who played on Saturday, Temple had to travel the farthest. I know I'd rather be in Albuquerque in December than Philadelphia, especially on someone else's dollar. I can find nothing as to why the Temple University bands are called the Diamond Bands but they were named so by Dr. John H. Jenny in 1946.


All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 2/3 (1st in total points out of 12 players, 8th in potential points)

Our bowl group is back in business this year. With 12 participants, we're up 2 from last season. Now I get to find out if the work I put into following the regular season was worthwhile. Obviously, I'd love to finish in at least the top 3. But I'd settle for improving on last year's 9th place finish out of 10. I fell one point shy of perfection yesterday, courtesy of Ohio's last-minute touchdown. I'm delighted to be in first place but in the long run, keeping an eye on the potential points is more meaningful. Most of my league-mates risked relatively few points yesterday.

I'm with the Band: UCLA

Band: UCLA Bruin Marching Band
University: UCLA
Founded: 1921
Current Director: Gordon Henderson



Given the school's location, it's no surprise that the band's screen credits, both on- and off-camera, are extensive. The UCLA Bruin Marching Band has appeared in such films as Hello Dolly and That Thing You Do and such TV shows as The Simpsons. They are also featured at the end of Dan Fogelberg's #1 single, "The Leader of the Band."


All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 11/14 (1st place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season, Final Total: 179/274 (tied for 2nd out of 3)

In the end, the three of us were separated by just a single point. If I'd been more conservative with my Week 1 picks, I could have won this thing. Live and learn.

There was, of course, another purpose in my following the college football season more closely this year. I want to make a serious run at my bowl picks group this time and the regular season was intended as practice. The last two years, I haven't done well: 6th out of 6 players the first year, 9th out of 10 the second. I'm confident I can make a significant improvement. I got much better at picking games as the season went on. I had at least a share of first place in each of the last four weeks.

State of the Blog 2011

It has been a year of evolution for The Armchair Squid. No longer merely a sports blog, the Squid has moved into the realms of literature and music. However, I believe that both sports and the arts are expressions of culture, reflecting different aspects of the human experience. A balanced life - that of an individual, a family, a community - should contain elements of both. In the coming year, the third in the life of the Squid, I shall continue to explore sports, literature and music. Further evolution in new directions is always likely. The Olympics are coming up next summer and that is certain to influence my posts.


Blogging Projects


Mock deserves full credit for getting me involved in blogging projects this past year. First, he tackled the 30 Comics in 30 Days challenge for his own blog, Stay on target... Then he discovered both the A to Z challenge and the 30 Songs in 30 Days challenge and encouraged me to try. Both were very positive experiences.

I definitely plan on doing A to Z again. I already have my theme ready to go. I have also designed my own challenge: 12 Books in 12 Months. I encourage you to join us for it. The details are here.


Books


Image via The Guardian

Books have become the life blood of the Squid and I have a number of projects lined up for the coming year. One is the 12 Books challenge mentioned above. I also have set a goal of reading The Hobbit to my daughter before the Peter Jackson film comes out next December. Then there's DC Comics' New 52. Mock, a true aficionado, has been feeding me comics for about a year now. I didn't read them much at all as a kid, devoting myself to Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons instead. As such, it's like a whole new world for me. I'm also a sucker for a good marketing campaign and thus cannot help being intrigued by DC's upcoming relaunch of 52 titles, including their most popular series. Justice League #1 is set for release on August 31st, the rest to follow in September.

Oh, I'm also trying to write a book. I've sort of hit a wall for the moment and could use some encouragement. It's a book based on my Orange Crush experience and youth soccer in general. I still think it's worth doing but I need to rethink the project a bit to make it work.


Family Adventures


Photo via Bruce Fong's Blog

I've already told My Wife that I'm taking responsibility for winter enjoyment this year. The Vermont winter, while frequently beautiful, is long and arduous. It's all too easy to feel snowbound and not leave the house for weeks at a time except when you absolutely must. I think we need to be more deliberate in combating that feeling this year. In truth, winter isn't even the toughest part of the year. The transitional seasons in November and March are brutal, too. So, perhaps my project is better described as Weekend Enjoyment.

My vision is to get all of us out of the house once a weekend for a non-errand outing, even if just for a leisurely walk in the neighborhood. The ideal activity is one that appeals to all three of us, gets us outdoors and doesn't cost much. The first condition is essential, the other two negotiable. There will be weekends when the idea of being outside is not remotely appealing but getting out of the house will be necessary anyway. Also, there may be weekends when the one thing we all really want to do will cost a bit. There will, indeed, be weekends when dragging everyone out of our cozy hibernation den - self included - will be enough challenge in itself. But it is for those weekends in particular that I feel this is important.

As mentioned in my Squiddies post, I'd like to take and post more photos this year. We do truly live in a beautiful place. I think photography will help me to appreciate that more often.


Baseball


Image via http://baltimoreorioles.devhub.com/

It's been a fun year with baseball, only moderate tinkering required for Year 3. The Baltimore Orioles will continue to be my primary focus and I have a new look planned for their 2012 campaign. The Chicago Cubs will still serve as my glimpse into the National League. I certainly hope to go to more Vermont Lake Monsters games next season. My bold proposal experiment shall continue as long as it remains viable. The Milwaukee Brewers, though, are the most likely team to upset my apple cart and they're looking pretty strong indeed right now. As much as possible, I will explore baseball's connections to other elements of culture: music, books, film, poetry, etc. I now understand why baseball has long held such appeal for professional writers.


Music


Photo via ullman211

This is a tricky one. Music is my job and I originally started the blog as something that would be completely separate from my daily work. But there's no denying the success of the 30 Songs in 30 Days experience for me so I'd like to find ways of incorporating music in future posts. To that end, I plan to explore the connections between the worlds of music and sport. Luckily, there are plenty.


Fantasy Sports


Image via Ghosts of Wayne Fontes

I shall continue posting my fantasies: baseball, football and tennis certainly. I also will be expanding my college football exploits (That sound you hear is My Wife groaning in despair. Don't worry, dear. This won't mean actually watching more games.) I intend to make a better showing in our college bowls group this year and as such, I will follow the regular season more closely. Care to join my pick 'em group? All are welcome...

Yahoo! Group #1978
Password: mockmock

Also, there is no stronger link in America between sports and music than that which exists in college football. Stay tuned.


Curling


Photo via Aww Dip

I will once again follow the World Championships but what I really want to do this year is get out on the ice myself. Mock has also convinced me to try broomball. Maybe mine could become the broom sports blog!


Tennis

Photo via Free-Extras
I will continue to post my Curtain Calls for Slams and to follow my Golden Squid. Interestingly, tennis is the only sport I've mentioned so far which is still a Summer Olympic sport. However, the real fun of following the Olympics is the chance to see the sports that don't get much or any exposure otherwise. As such, I'm likely to focus more of my Olympic attention on those than on tennis.


Photo via Executive Chairs

As I said last year, if anyone enjoys reading The Armchair Squid half as much as I enjoy writing it, we're all doing pretty well. I'm looking forward to Year 3. I hope you'll join me.

For comparison, here's last year's State of the Blog.

Bowl Season: Ninth Place

I will finish in 9th place for our college bowl pick'em group. There's not a thing to be done about it. Tonight's outcome doesn't matter. The tenth place guy is too far behind and the eighth place guy is too far ahead. So, I need not be shy about the fact that, for one night at least, I shall be a Quacker Backer! Go, Oregon!

My affection for the state of Oregon goes far beyond one game. We spent our honeymoon in Oregon, mostly in the Willamette Valley sampling pinots. But we did make it to Eugene for one day of the Oregon Bach Festival. It is a wonderful town and an absolutely stunning state. If it weren't so far away from our families, we might well have settled in the Pacific Northwest rather than Vermont.

My knowledge of Alabama in general and Auburn in particular is considerably less. Wild Turkey did spend one year at Auburn studying agronomy before transferring to our little college in the Iowa cornfields - a move for which we are all grateful, her husband especially. I'm pretty sure that even without the Cam Newton debacle, I'd be pulling for the Ducks tonight.

Mock has already made it clear that we're definitely doing this again next year. I do enjoy it and, as I noted last year, it has certainly encouraged me to follow the bowls more closely. Finishing ninth out of ten is more respectable than sixth out of six, I suppose, but I'd like to pursue the title more aggressively next time. I'm not sure of the best approach. More conservative picks? Following college football more closely in general? (Somewhere, My Wife is groaning in despair) Even a dart board might improve my performance over the past two years.

Bowl Season: Out of the Running

It hasn't been such a terrible week for my picks, actually: 3 for 5. I picked Texas A&M and Kentucky, both of whom lost. But as I have left my big confidence points wagers until the end, the cost is high at this stage. I am currently in ninth place out of ten. I can finish no higher than seventh.

Mock and Marc are both out of the running two. However, my two new recruits (one from high school, one from the Tree Farm) currently reside in 2nd and 3rd place so I'll be rooting for them the rest of the way. Only two more games to go!

While I'm still hoping to stay out of the cellar, it is rather disappointing to discover that I've already made more wrong picks this year than I did last. In fact, I could have just picked all favorites and done much better. Clearly, my "system" didn't work this time. I guess I'll need a new strategy should we do this again next year.

Bowl Season: Tough Road Ahead

It's not looking too promising for me in the bowl pick group at the moment. I'm in last place in current points and second to last in possible points. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were both brutal for me. On the 31st, all of the underdogs won and I only had one of them picked (South Florida). On the 1st, all of the favorites won and I only had two of them picked (Mississippi State and TCU). But there are still seven games left and I'm not out of it yet.

In fantasy football news, Wild Turkey is our champion in the college league, taking out her own husband in the final. Yup, we were all thumped by a girl! We're seeing them soon. I hope resentments won't linger.

Happy New Year!

Bowl Season: Looking at the Big Picture

If things continue as they have, Hawaii will be the first Vegas odds favorite to lose this bowl season (they're currently down by 20 in the 3rd quarter against Tulsa). I must admit I've had a poor first week. I've only picked two games correctly: Northern Illinois in the Humanitarian Bowl and Boise State in the MAACO Bowl. Hawaii was my pick in tonight's game. If the current result holds, I'll be firmly in last place.

However, I did learn last year that one must look at the big picture with the bowl season. The real number to watch is not points scored but possible points, based on what we've scored thus far plus what confident points are still available going forward. Looking at matters in that light, a Hawaii loss is not such a horrible thing for me. As they were a heavy favorite coming into the game, a few in my group staked much higher points on the game than I did. If Hawaii loses, I'll be in 6th place out of 10 in possible points. If they somehow come back and win, I'll be in 8th place. All else being equal, I'd rather be right about the pick but there is a silver lining.

Tulsa's still up 48-28 at the end of the 3rd.

Bowl Season: A Day for the Favorites

A new bowl season is upon us, and once again I am in a pick'em league. Our group is bigger this year: up to ten from six last year. I brought a couple of my own friends from outside the usual Mock & Cousins circle: one Tree Farm friend and one high school pal. Hopefully, I can improve on last year's last place finish.

Sadly, I'm off to a slow start: just one for three on the day, assuming Troy manages to hold on to its current 41-14 third quarter lead. It has not been a good day for upsets. All three games were/are heavily tilted towards the Vegas favorites. I was right about Northern Illinois but lost with UTEP and, thus far, Ohio. Fortunately, my confidence point risk has been low: just six points today out of a potential 630. So, there is plenty of room for growth.

48-14, Troy leads. 6:36 to go in the third.

Bowl Season: Cellar Dweller

So, I had Texas while the guy behind me had Alabama. I gave up on the Longhorns at halftime and went to bed. Thus, I finish sixth out of six. I can only plead inexperience.

Of course, I had a great time. My fantasy football league for the NFL was fun, too, but fantasy leagues can be a bit troubling in that they emphasize individual achievement in team sports. We've already had one member of our league beg off for next year for that very reason. A bowl pick'em contest emphasizes the team and is thus purer, somehow. It certainly got me to watch a lot more games than I normally would so it is definitely a successful marketing concept! It was also my first time following the bowl season as a distinct entity. Patterns do emerge over the three weeks.

For the record, Marc finished second in the league and Mock finished third. So they get trophy icons on their profiles. My cupboard is still bare. Someday...

Bowl Season: Rotten Ending to a Great Game

So, what would one put in a GMAC bowl? Auto loan paperwork? I will say, Mobile, Alabama has always looked like a fun town to me. Oldest Mardi Gras parade in the US, you know.

A blocked field goal is a rotten way to end a great game. To me, a great game is one in which both teams play well and it's just a shame that one of them has to lose. Overtime or extra innings are not necessary. A great finish does not make a great game. Both Central Michigan and Troy played fabulously tonight. It was certainly the best game I've watched so far this bowl season. But it ended on a mistake. Can't blame the kicker. Somebody missed the block at the line. Players and fans of the losing team won't remember the rest of the game. Just the blocked kick - second year in a row that Troy has lost a bowl game in this fashion. That's a shame.

For me, it's down to a battle for fifth place tomorrow night. The math is pretty straight forward. If I pick the same team as the guy in sixth and our team loses, I win fifth place. If our team wins, he takes fifth. If we pick opposite teams, I win if my team wins. Since I can't win the group, the next best scenario is for Mock to win it. He's currently in fourth but can win if his team wins and everyone ahead of him picks the opposite team. Got all that?

Go MOCK!

Bowl Season: Good News and Bad News

The good news is that Iowa won. Iowa was my pick and a team for which I have some affection as I spent four years in the state. The bad news is that I can no longer finish any higher than 5th place out of our group of six.

I also discovered the College Bowl Pick'Em has a limited capacity for influencing my rooting interest. It would actually have been better for me overall if Iowa had lost. My opponents gained more points for the result than I did, thus relegating me to second division status. I can't help wondering, though, if it's just more important to me to be right. Someone really should write a thesis on the psychology of rooting interests.

Bowl Season: With Salsa and Guacamole on the Side

For the most part, I think the practice of corporations buying naming rights to bowl games is really obnoxious. However, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl kind of works. I'm hungry just thinking about it. Too bad I already brushed my teeth.

Boise State has crushed my hopes of winning the pick 'em group. In fact, I can now only finish third at best. I suppose I couldn't have expected too much in my first shot at this. It has been fun, though, and it has inspired me to watch the bowls far more than in previous years.

Bowl Season: Only Four More to Go

It was a big day for the bowls with five games on the schedule. It was a brutal one for me as I dropped from first place all the way to fifth. There are four games left to play and I'm 32 points off of the lead. I'm not out of it yet but the margin for error is shrinking.

Bowl Season: Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all! May 2010 and indeed the new decade bring good things.

In as much as football can be elegant, the traditional January 1st bowls are. Back when I first started paying attention, it was still just the big four on New Year's Day: Cotton, Rose, Sugar and Orange. The Rose Bowl is a particularly significant one in my family as my father marched with his high school band in the parade in 1959. Even my sister, who grew up hating sports with a passion equal to my enthusiasm for them, thinks the parade is great and was actually thinking of going this year (she lives in LA County).

During our holiday travels, I didn't get to watch much except to check scores from time to time. I am, however, doing well in the pick-em group at the moment. I'm in first place but everyone's about to take a big bite out of the margin. I was the only one who picked Cincinnati in the Sugar and it's pretty clear at halftime that the Bearcats are toast. Fortunately, I only risked one confidence point.

I commend Brent Musberger, not usually my favorite, for complimenting the camera and tech crews during a play review in the Rose Bowl. There is loads of downtime in football and it was nice to hear the on-air talent using the time to recognize the people who do the heavy lifting in the television industry.

I got some good quality time with The Washington Post while visiting my parents. Growing up, every day started with the Post over breakfast. My sports sensibilities were influenced as much by Thomas Boswell, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon as anything else. Newspapers will never compete with the Internet for immediacy but it was a treat to be reminded of what a luxury a well-written paper can be.

In other news, Vernon Davis (TE, San Francisco), the season MVP for my fantasy league team, is going to his first Pro Bowl as the NFC's starting tight end. Two of my quarterbacks are going, too: Philip Rivers (San Diego) and Drew Brees (New Orleans). DeAngelo Williams (RB, Carolina), my first round draft pick whom I ultimately had to trade away, is going. My defensive units also included Pro Bowlers: Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, both Indianapolis defensive ends. I suppose I can also claim the AFC's special teamer, Kassim Osgood (WR, San Diego).

I also finished Andre Agassi's new book, Open. A review will soon follow.

Bowl Season: A Little Hawaii, A Little Vermont

Boy were we all wrong about this one. SMU kicked the snot out of Nevada, the heavy favorite and the pick for everyone in our group. It was the school's first bowl appearance in 25 years. They made the most of it.

The current Hawaii Bowl has been around since 2002 but bowl games were being played in the islands as early as 1936, well before statehood. Be happy for the SMU and Nevada marching bands who got a free vacation in the sun.

We went on a quick snowshoe hike yesterday, just up to the top of our road and back. It is my unfortunate tendency to watch my feet when snowshoeing but I did take a moment or two to look up and admire the winter wonderland we call home. There are times when I wonder what madness drove us to move to Vermont but then I look around and the scenery never fails to take my breath away. I had a lot of things growing up where I did but my neighborhood was nowhere near as beautiful - not even in the same league. This is the childhood we have given our daughter. Deer and wild turkeys in the backyard and a forest of snow-frosted hemlocks for a decent portion of the year - this is her normal. Lucky kid!

Merry Christmas to all!

Peace on Earth.

Bowl Season: Not a Flower

So, I finally got another one right as Utah beat Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl, held in San Diego since 2005.

In other news, NBC Bay Area has done a piece on Vernon Davis's creative works. Here is the link: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/enjoy-this/The_Art_of_Vernon_Davis_Bay_Area.html/.